ABSTRACT
Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is an insidious disease of non-specific symptomatology. To make correct diagnosis three different findings must correlate: radiological imaging, serological markers, and histology. This is not easy, and furthermore an incorrect diagnosis can lead to incorrect management and even patient death. We present our experience with a case of AIP in a young woman (34 years old) affected by different autoimmune pathologies with a history of abdominal pain. The diagnosis was made correlating histological findings and anamnestic data, although there were no radiological or serological findings. However, the management of this case was complicated by acute pancreatitis. In our case, we had only a histological sample and anamnestic data. So in these cases of positive history for autoimmune disorders and unclear clinical signs, AIP should be considered in differential diagnosis.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Skin metastasis from internal carcinoma rarely occurs. It has an incidence of 0.7 to 9% and it may be the first sign of an unknown malignancy. However, it can also occur during follow-up. CASE PRESENTATION: A 90-year-old female patient was admitted to our surgical division with a diagnosis of anemia from a bleeding gastric adenocarcinoma. She underwent a gastric resection and Billroth II retrocolic Hofmeister/Finsterer reconstruction. She developed an enteric fistula, which needed a permanent abdominal drain until the 60th postoperative day. After 12 months she was readmitted to our division with subacute small bowel obstruction and an erythematous swelling on the right side of the abdomen. Biopsies characterized it as a cutaneous metastasis from the gastric adenocarcinoma. No surgical therapy was performed given her poor clinical condition. CONCLUSION: Skin metastasis from carcinomas of the upper gastrointestinal tract is very rare. Persisting erythematous nodules must be biopsied in order to diagnose cutaneous metastases and to recognize them early and start prompt therapy with anti-tumour agents before the occurrence of massive visceral metastases.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Gastric volvulus is an uncommon clinical entity, first described by Berti in 1866. It is a rotation of all or part of the stomach through more than 180 degrees . This rotation can occur on the longitudinal (organo-axial) or transverse (mesentero-axial) axis. This condition can lead to a closed-loop obstruction or strangulation. Traditional surgical therapy for gastric volvulus is based on an open approach. Here we report the case of a patient with chronic intermittent gastric volvulus who underwent a successful laparoscopic treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: A 34-year-old woman presented with multiple episodes of recurrent upper abdominal pain associated with retching and vomiting, treated unsuccessfully with intramuscular metoclopramide. Endoscopic examination of the upper digestive tract showed a suspected rotation of the stomach, and a chronic recurrent gastric volvulus was revealed by barium meal. The patient was operated on successfully, with an anterior laparoscopic gastropexy performed as the first surgical approach. CONCLUSION: Experience with laparoscopic anterior gastropexy is limited only to a few described cases. Our patient was clinically and radiologically followed-up for 2 years with no evidence of recurrence, either radiological or symptomatic. Based on this result, laparoscopic gastropexy can be seen and considered as an initial 'gold standard' for the treatment of gastric volvulus.
